U16 National Rankings

**Inferno91** · 04-10-2007, 11:19 AM

Anyone know of a website that has national rankings for the youth division such as 8u, 10u, 12u etc.?

**DannyG** · 04-10-2007, 10:28 PM

I apologize that I don't know of such a ranking service presently extant...and I'm not really sure that we need one.

Two disclaimers:
1. I apologize if this thought hijacks the thread,
2. I am not belittling Inferno91 or his asking the question (welcome to the forum, by the way)...

We aboslutely must stop focussing on winning tournament teams. More than any other single factor harmful to our sport is the mindset that focusses on team development, instead of player development.

I would like to see tournament teams formed from no more than a pool of 50 players. I say, limit any/all house league to 50 players, no more than 8 teams.

It would be very nice to see a real tournament for house league teams, have 512 teams sign up nationwide, one big tournament, let the pucks fall where they may...this is (sorta) more or less what Little League has done with it's focus on tournament teams coming from rec leagues of no-more-than- such and such number of players.

Every time a team picks up two players from other teams, and adds them to their tournament team, that diminishes the chance for development of several other players who were left behind.

Every time a coach takes "his" four kids, and pairs them with this other four kids from another team, that dimishes opportunities.

(1999) When I heard Roger say out loud "I wish I could play for a team like the Huntington Beach Paradise Beach Boys," I'm realizing, "Geez, how about you and your buddies work your butts off to get as good as them???"

I do not know if the Beach Boys teams of the late 90's were a pulled together team, or if their coach developed them, but I'm inclined to believe it is the former, not the later...a shame.

I know the Cummins Killer Bees from Dallas, who then the next year became the Mad Hatters, took the best three players from three different leagues to be competitive nationally...how different it would have been had these three leagues been allowed to retain those players for three very good teams from the Dallas area?

(okay, this is now officially a rant, sorry) I wish to implore all program directors and coaches to change the mindset, and instead of pyramidding teams, create as many opportunities for as many players as possible!

I welcome suggestions on how to do this. Rich, I will submit to you an article with my personal suggestions in the near future. I think this single issue has the ability to open up our sport, and put it back on the growth track. I'll let you know...

Sincerely,

-Danny G

**RINKRAT** · 04-11-2007, 12:29 AM

Originally Posted by DannyG

(okay, this is now officially a rant, sorry) I wish to implore all program directors and coaches to change the mindset, and instead of pyramidding teams, create as many opportunities for as many players as possible!

I welcome suggestions on how to do this. Rich, I will submit to you an article with my personal suggestions in the near future. I think this single issue has the ability to open up our sport, and put it back on the growth track. I'll let you know...

Sincerely,

-Danny G

AGREED...Count me in!

RAT

**RichardGraham** · 04-11-2007, 01:39 AM

Hi Inferno,

With all due respect, that's a horrible idea. Let kids be kids. After 18, rank 'em to your heart's delight, but let's give younger players a chance to grow up a little before putting that kind of pressure on them.

**TheSnake22** · 04-11-2007, 02:49 AM

horrible idea or not, there are indeed independent national rankings in ice hockey for midget AAA, and possibly even younger, so it's not crazy for him to ask about whether they exist for inline hockey... not to mention, it wasn't his idea, he was just asking...